Adjustment device



New 11, 1947. E. E. FRANZ I ADJUSTMENT DEVICE Filed Dec. 5, 1941 FIG. 3

FIG. 5

INVENTOR 5.15. FRANZ B) -R MW GM ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 11, 1947 UNITED STATES PAT FICE ADJUSTMENT DEVICE Applicationiflecpmber 6, 19411, Serial No. 421,870

(Cl. 151-l4) 13 Claims. IV

Th s i v ntio relate t a ad ustment d e an ore part u arl to d i to? P v d n adiu abl mea s to prevent a cid ntal a e isplacem n ci memhe s Wh Q a e relat l ota ion l .adia t hle los a es wher w membe ar inte fiti d sore-W th a 0 'PPWiSiQ aradw hs meh of one with re n ct to-th ether the a to rel t ve os t on alon h Want th i hr ade p t on e a t relat ve an ular-res des a t th @Xi ar 9. :ina m rah e to attem t des b hem- An i ustrative nstanc is tha in which a r dike 9.1 smisdrml re of ma neti ma r a i o th w nse i si more or less ee y i t a .h qliea coi o ele tora aada to 'st and; to m di a ,iust l dec ma .chara t i ic of h 001.1, the o ein p ov d d hr ad te im .c a tins w th lqo respond n lv thr aded he ea adiac a st io a m be An object of the present invention is to provide im-s a r l abl to p ov de iqt on r s tan e. o eas ada ta l se ri y. th re a i e r-o .1 o two memb rs QQnneQ e .s t b mi -fitt n hr aded, o ions- -With the above andother objects in View, the invention. may be embodiedin nut and washer to coact with. each other and with interfitted screw-threaded parts, the nut being adapted to run ,onone of the said parts and being serrated on the-facenext totheother part, and the washer having spring teeth on oneiacetherebf to enter the serrations of .the nut and means onitheother face. .to (engage the said other part to be held thereby against rotation relative thereto.

Qtherobjectsand features of the inventionwill appear fromthe followingdetailed description of one embodimentthereof,ltalren in connectionwith the accompanying drawing .in which .the same reference numerals are appliedto identical parts in the several figures andQin which Fig. Lisa diagrammatic view of the invention as embodied in. a choke coil and shown in side elevation;

.Fig. 2 is a broken view, much enlarged, of a portion,oftheshowingotliig. 1;

.Eig. 3 isa detachededge view partiallyinsec- :tion ofthe nut of .Eig.,2;'

Fig. 4.is.,a. detached frontview of the washer of Fig. .2;

.onwhich a hollpwcylindrical coil I Lis stationarily mounted. A solid cylindrical core I2 is partially housed within the coil and is formed or provided with a coaxial, screw-threaded extension or tang 14 which passes through a corresponding threaded bore in a stationary support or member 5. The end of the threaded part it is formed. with a square head It or otherwise provided with means whereby the tang it may be rotated in the support 15 and thereby cause the core proper 12' to be adjustably moved to extend more or less deeply Within the coil.

' It isthen desirable to provide means which .Will ordinarily p event any accidental rotation of .the core and tang in the support, and yet will not prevent intentional. rotation when adjustmentof the core in the coil is desired. For this purpose the nut ll andwasher 1,8 are provided.

Then-Lit i! has a threaded bore 19 dimensioned and threaded tofit the threaded tang. 1,5. ,In the exterior pe iphery of the ,nut'are' on or, m re homes wadapted to receive the pin .of an ordina y pin spanner wrench if necessary. The face of the nut intended to face the outer side of the support 55 is formed near its rim with a ring, of serrations 2!. These are here shown as angular teeth with a u ar nte spa but ma have a y form found to be desirable so only that they present alternate projections and recesses vwith contours capable of camming projections resili ently pressed against them.

he wa he .851 ene a an annulusofapp priate resilient material, e. g. spring steel, having a central perforation 122 large enough to slide lfreely over the threads of the tang. Qn the face of the washer intended to stand next 'to the sup port 15 it is provided with-means. to engage the support and thereby prevent rotation of the washerrelative to the support. Asshown in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, these means arepointedteethit .preie n axially m the annulus t o ard th lsu po t an ga in in o res o in ly formed recesses 24 in the support l5, a'nd pointed teeth ,Z'E'projecting axially from the'annulus l3 .td a i 1 1 t nd en a n between the teeth 2! of the nut. As shown here there are four of the teeth 23 and twoof the teeth 25oh the washer. There must ,be at leasttwo .of each .k n o t o bu there ma e moreof ei he or both. Preferably if there are only two of one kind, t should be se ara ed bvteeth of the jotherlrind, as shownso that the resilience of the ith the construction and arrangement described, thecoil Miand its core 12 areassurned washer and the manner in which each tooth 25 is at the crown of a spring bridge between two teeth 23, the serrations 2! will ride over the teeth 25, at first easily, but with increasing difiiculty. By means of a spanner wrench engaging the bores 29 of the nut and a suitable socket or other wrench engaging the head 16 to turn the nut while holding the tang stationary, the washer may be brought under elastic stress of any degree desired,

within reasonable limits, its annular body being elastically bowed in under the teeth 25 and be tween teeth 23 toward the support I5. When a suitable tension is attained, the spanner is discarded. It then, the head i6 is turned in either direction, the nut i'l is prevented from rotation by the teeth 25 and the serrations 2|. The nut is held stationary with respect to the support while the core I2 is traversed axially of the coil 1 l as much or as little as desired, the screw i4 passing to and fro through the nut and support equally.

The washer l8 exerts a continuous unvarying elastic effort to drive the nut axially away from the support and thus causes friction of threads of the tank It on the threads of both the support and the nut. Thus a frictional resistance to the rotation of the tang is effected which serves to prevent accidental displacement of the tang. At

' occur to fit special cases.

the same time the continuous effort of the washer washer is easily and simply adjustable from practically none at all to almost a positive lock of the tang in the support, by holding the head IS with one wrench while turning the nut H with another. When so adjusted, the tension remains substantially constant when the tang is rotated,

no matter how much or how little.

The nature of the elements H and i2 to be adjusted and held in adjustment by the device of the invention is evidently irrelevant to the invention. A choke coil was chosen to illustrate one mode of use of the invention merely because of its simplicity. The invention is applicable wherever one threaded member is to be adjustable in a correspondingly threaded member and it is desired (a) to impose frictional resistance to accidental displacement of the one member with respect to the other, (22) to adjustably vary this resistance, or (c) to take up play or lost motion between the two members.

The interlock of the washer 18 with the support 15 to permit rotation of the washer relative to the support is shown above as by means of pointed teeth 23 on the washer engaging correspondingly formed recesses 24 in the support. Other means might also be employed for this purpose, such as lugs 123 on the washer H8, engaging between pins I 24 on the support, as shown in Fig. 7, where also are shown scalloped serrations 12! on the nut H'l, engaging with rounded lobes on the washer H8. In view of this latter as well as the former arrangement, in the appended claims the word serrations is to be taken as including any sequence of alternating projections and recesses capable of camming the teeth 25 of the washer out of the recesses and over the projections, while the words tooth or teeth are to be taken as including any kind of salient angle, lug or projection capable of the effects described above.

Other variations and modifications will readily The embodiments disclosed are illustrative and the invention is not limited to these which may be variously modified without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as pointed out in and limited by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An adjustment device comprising a member having a threaded bore therein, and a member in the bore and having a corresponding external thread thereon, in combination with means to provide frictional resistance of adjustable severity to rotation of one of the said members with respect to the other, the said means comprising a nut threadedly engaged with and rotatable on the second named member and having serrations on the face thereof toward the first named member, a washer on the second named member between the nut and the first named member and having resiliently yielding teeth to engage the serrations, and the washer being provided with means to prevent relative rotary motion of the washer and the first named member, the serrations on the nut and the serration engaging teeth on the washer being so formed that these teeth may be cammed out of engagement with the serrations by relative rotation of the nut and washer with respect to each other in either direction.

2. An adjustment device comprising a member having a threaded bore therein, and a member in the bore and having a corresponding external thread thereon, in combination with means to provide frictional resistance of adjustable severity to rotation of one of the said members with respect to the other, the said means comprising a nut threadedly engaged with and rotatable on the second named member and having serrations on the face thereof toward the first named member, a resilient washer on the second named mem ber between the nut and the first named member and having teeth to resiliently engage the serrations, and the washer being provided with means to prevent relative rotary motion of the washer and the first named member, the serrations on the nut and the serration engaging teeth on the washer being so formed that these teeth may be cammed out of engagement with the serrations by relative rotation of the nut and washer with respect to each other in either direction.

3. An adjustment device comprising a member having a threaded bore therein and engaging means thereon, and a member in the bore and having a corresponding external thread thereon, in combination with means to provide frictional resistance of adjustable severity to rotation of one of the said members with respect to the other, the said means comprising a nut threadedly engaged with and rotatable on the second named member and having serrations on the face thereof toward the first named member, a washer on the second named member between the nut and the first named member and having resiliently yielding teeth to engage the serrations, and

the washer being formed with teethto engage the engaging means on thefi-rst named member to hold the washer against rotation relative thereto, the serrations on the nut and theserrat-i-on engaging teeth' on the washerbeing so formed that theseteeth' may be cammed out of engagementw'ith the serrations by relative rotation of the nut' and washer with respect'to each otherin either d'irectioni 'a An adjustment device comprising a member having a threaded bore therein and engaging means thereon, and a member in the bore and having a corresponding external thread thereon, in com'bination with means to provide frictionalresista-nceof adjustable severity to rotation'of one-oi the sai'd'members with respect to the other, the said means comprising a nut threadedly engaged with and rotatable-on the second named member and having serrations on the face thereof'tow-ard the first named member, a resilient washer on the second named member between the-nut and the first named member and having teeth to resiliently engage the serrations, and the washer being formed with teeth to resiliently engage the engaging means on the first named member to hoid the washer against rotation relativetliere-to, the serrations on the nutand the serration engaging teeth on the washer being so formedthat these teeth may be cammed out of engagement with the serrations by relative rotation of the nut and Washer with respect to each other in either direction;

5. In an apparatus having a member With an internally threaded bore therein, and an exteriorly threaded member adjustably engaged in the bore, means to effect adjustably severe frictional resistance to rotation of the one member with respect to the other and comprising a nut threadedly engaged with and" rotatable on the second named member and having serrations on the face thereof toward the first named member, a washer on the second named member between the nut and the firstnamed member and having resiliently yielding teeth to engage the serrations, and the washer being provided with means to beradjustably engaged in the bore, means to effect 'adjustably" severe frictional resistance to rotationof-thebne member with respect to the other'andcomprising anut threaded-1y engagedwith and rotatabledn'the second named member and having" serrations on the face thereof toward the first named member, a washer on the second named "member betweenthe nut and: the first named member and having resiliently yielding teeth to engage the serrations, and the washer being formed 'with teetli to' engage the engaging means on the first named member to hold the prevent relative rotary motion of the washer and the first named member, the serrations on the nut and the serration engaging teeth on the washer being so formed that these teeth may be camm'ed out ofengagement with the serrations by relative rotation of the nut and washer with respect to each other in either direction.

6. In an apparatus having a member With an internally threaded bore therein, and an exteriorly threaded member adjustably engaged in the bore, means to effect adjustably severe frictional resistance to rotation of the one member with respect to the other and comprising a nut threadedly engaged with and rotatable on the second named member and having serrations on the face thereof toward the first named member, a resilient washer onthe second named member between the nut and the first named member and having teeth to resiliently engage the serrations, and the washer being provided with means to prevent relative rotary motion of the washer and the first named member, the serrations on the nut and the serration engaging teeth on the washer being so formed that these teeth may be cammedout of engagement with the serrations by relative rotation of the nut and washer with respect to each other in either direction.

'7. In an apparatus having a member with an internally threaded bore therein and engaging means thereon, and an exteriorly threaded memwasher against: rotation relative thereto, the serratiens on-"the and the serration engaging teetn'on the washer being so formed that these teeth may becammed'out of engagement with the serrationsbyrelative rotation of the nut and washer with respect to each other in either direfionw l. r l

8-5 Inan apparatus having a member with an internally threaded bore therein "and engaging means-thereon; and an 'exteri'orl'y threaded member 'adju'stably engaged in the bore, means to effect adj lstably severe frictional resistance to rotation of'the one member'with respect to the other and comprising anut threadedly engaged with and rotatable on the second named member and having serrations'on the facethereof toward the first namedmember, a resilient washer on the second named member between the nut and the first named member and having teeth to resiliently engage the serrations, a'ndthe washer beingformed'wi-th teeth toresilie'ntly engage the engaging means on'the fi'r'st'named member to hold'tlie was-her against rotation relative thereto, the'serrations" on thefnut and the serration engaging teethonthe washer being so formed that theset'eeth maybe cammed out of engagement withfth'e serrations by relative rotation of the nut and" washenwitnrespect to each other in eitherdirection;

9;An adjustable friction and take-up device for screw stems inthreadedbearings comprising, in combination with: a's'crew stem having a oneway progressive-thread -and a threaded bearing in which said one-way' thread 'oi said stem is in adju'stab'le threaded engagement," an abutment threaded upon said one-way thread of said stem andadjustablethereupon, yielding means engaging said abutment' and said bearing and acting upon the adjustment of said abutment upon said one-way thread of said stem with respect to said bearing to exert a yielding axial thrust upon said stem in said bearing, and holding means acting to hold said abutment from turning with respect to said bearing, said holding means being releasable to permit adjustment of said abutment upon said one-way thread of said stem with respect to said bearing after assembly of said parts to change the yielding axial thrust exerted by said yielding means upon said stem in said bearing.

10. An adjustable friction and take-up device for screw stems in threaded bearings comprising, in combination with a screw stem having a oneway progressive thread and a threaded bearing in which said one-way thread of said stem is in adjustable threaded engagement, an abutment threaded upon said one-way thread of said stem and adjustable thereupon, spring means acting between said abutment and said bearing and adjustable by the adjustment of said abutment upon said one-way thread of said stem with respect to said bearing to exert a yielding axial thrust upon said stem in said bearing, and detent means acting to hold said abutment from being turned by turning adjustments of said stem, said detent means being rfieasable to permit adjustment of said abutment upon said one-way thread of said stem with respect to said bearing after assembly of said parts to change the yielding axial thrust exerted by said spring means upon said stern in said bearing.

11. An adjustable friction and take-up device 7 for screw stems in threaded bearings comprising,

in combination with a screw stem having a oneway progressive thread and a threaded bearing in which said one-way thread of said stem is in adjustable threaded engagement, an abutment threaded upon said one-way thread of said stem and adjustable thereupon, yielding means acting between said abutment and said bearing and adjustable by the adjustment of said abutment upon said one-way thread of said stem with respect to said bearing to exert a yielding axial thrust upon said stem in said bearing, and retaining means acting between said abutment and said bearing to retain said abutment in adjusted position with respect to said bearing, said retaining means being releasable to permit adjustment of said abutment upon said one-way thread of said stem with respect to said bearing after assembly of said parts to change the yielding axial thrust exerted by said yielding means upon said stem in said bearing.

12. An adjustable friction and take-up device for screw stems in threaded bearings comprising, in combination with a screw stem having a oneway progressive thread and a threaded bearing in which said one-way thread of said stem is in adjustable threaded engagement, an abutment threaded upon said one-way thread of said stem and adjustable thereupon, expansible spring means acting between said abutment and said bearing and compressible by the adjustment of said abutment upon said one-way thread of said stem with respect to said bearing to exert a yielding axial thrust upon said stem in said bearing, and detent means acting to hold said abutment from turning, to thereby retain the compression of said expansible spring means and the yielding axial thrust exerted thereby upon said stem during adjustments of said screw stem in said threaded bearing, said detent means being releasable to permit said abutment to be turned upon said one-way thread of said stem after as- 8 sembly of said parts to change the compression of said expansible spring means and the yielding axial thrust exerted thereby upon said stem in said bearing.

13. An adjustable friction and take-up device for screw stems in threaded bearings comprising, in combination with a screw stem having a oneway progressive thread and a threaded bearing in which said one-way thread of said stem is in adjustable threaded engagement, an abutment threaded upon said one-way thread of said stem and adjustable thereupon, said abutment having a plurality of detent slots formed therein, yielding means acting between said abutment and said bearing and adjustable by the adjustment of said abutment upon said one-way thread of said stem with respect to said bearing to exert a yielding axial thrust upon said stem in said bearing, and detent means cooperating with the detent slots formed in said abutment to hold said abutment from turning from an adjusted position said detent means being releasable from and engageable with the different detent slots formed in said abutment to permit adjustment of said abutment. upon said one-way thread of said stem with respect to said bearing after assembly of said parts to change the yielding axial thrust exerted by said yielding means upon said stem in said bearing.

ERWIN E. FRANZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 788,716 Hammond May 2, 1905 174,175 Adgate Feb. 29, 1876 355,646 Gates Jan. 4, 1887 2,258,652 James Oct. 14, 1941 2,251,560 White Aug. 5, 1941 420,294 Coleman Jan. 28, 1890 2,392,701 Sanders Jan. 8, 1946 1,239,958 Pingel Sept. 11, 1917 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 33,446 France Sept. 28, 1928 101,985 Great Britain Nov. 9, 1916 

